Epilogue Part 2 - Lovers Stronghold

One week later...

        " What're your plans for today? " Clover asked her lazy boyfriend who was busy paying attention to his game. The usual. No response, she poked him a few times before deciding to gnaw on his laptop to get his attention.


" Hey!!! What the!? Honey!! "


Yep, that did it alright. Leaving a few teeth marks as a souvenir on the left hand side of his laptop, he faced her sighing and finally answering. " We'll head to the bank shortly to check out a few loans then.. maybe go back home..? Or do you have something else in mind? " A soft but clear enough answer came from him. Clearly, he didn't seem to like the idea of always being bugged to do something and would rather relax and sit down gaming and in this case, we'd call it bumming around.


        " Well... alright, but I'd like to do something else besides just bumming around like this.. maybe after the bank, we'll head to the mall or something for food, alright? " She said, eyeing him sharply for an instant reply. He didn't even focus nor pay any attention to her.

" Mmhmm... " He muttered.


Clover got into a playful mood and gnawed his laptop again and in counter, Lucas grabbed her by the neck and flicked her nose before ruffling her hair. " Geez..! You're not a cat or a dog... argh!! Stop munching on my laptop!! Honey!! " He whimpered within breaths while wrestling with his girlfriend who kept wiggling loose and then nibbling his arm. They laughed at how ridiculous both their behaviors were. " Alright.. alright! Hahah.. let's head upstairs and you shall shower first and I'll go second when you're done okay? " He laughed then grabbed his cellphone and ran upstairs.


" Hahaha.. that got you to move your ass off the couch and upstairs.. so I WIN!! HA! " She teased and chased him up that stairs. " Okay.. now you're glued to my computer..!? " She stomped toward him and smacked his back playfully before heading to her room to get her towel and then to the shower.


" Err.. well, after you miss! Hahah.. i'll shower after you're done! Now lemme play a round or two of the games you have in your computer!! " He said all happy and then sticking his tongue out, along with a grin following after that dorking expression.


        " Alright... grr.. i'm really a sucker when it comes to you.. " She mumbled then entered the shower. Moments went by and she got out, towel hung around her shoulders and drying her hair. Walking out, she tossed a towel at Lucas then dragged him out of the chair and to the shower and without word, handing him his clothes and toothbrush. " Now... GO!! "


" Alright already!! Geezz... grumpy... " He grumbled completing his sentence with a frown before entering the shower. Clover didn't say a word but went to finish up some work on her computer while waiting for Lucas to be done. 


        " Well, i'm done.. you happy dear? " Came a familiar voice with a sarcastic tone. Clover nodded then pushed him to the couch and started drying his hair with a towel. " I take that as a yes...? " He questioned only to receive a simple " Mmhmm " and a nod from his girlfriend as she continued to dry his hair then adjusting his shirt and collar.


" Well.. lets go sweetie.. " Smiling then kissing him on the cheek, she took her bag and waited for him downstairs.


        Lucas drove to the nearby town and headed to the bank to check out the loan system only to be left in a pile of rubble filled with disappointment. No loans were offered at this particular bank. What a bummer. Sighing, he and Clover walked out in silence. Clover held his hand and gave it a light peck then suggested to go to a nearby DVD store to check out the latest CD's and one of the reasons was to get his mind off things for a moment. 


        " Hey you, don't get all upset. There are many other banks no? Heh.. anyways.. I think i'm considering getting a few DVD box sets.. hahah.. " She giggled and hugged him before stepping into the shop.


" Well.. I suppose.. haha.. hmm.. Family Guy... and South Park... oooo.. " He definitely was distracted enough. YAY! Clover smiled then jabbed him in the ribs. " OUCH!! " He rubbed his sides and glared at her.


       " No watching those.. ahahha! We could just download it maybe? Hahah.. I was thinking Supernatural and OH MY GOSH!! " She squeaked when Lucas held a certain DVD box set. " Is that Mind Your Language!? That's like really awesome and worth watching for a good laugh!! Hmm.. maybe i'll get it next time! " She exclaimed then resumed browsing through the few shelves full of DVD sets scanning from row to row. 

" Looks kinda old school to me.. " Lucas commented on Mind Your Language. " Well.. it IS old school silly..! " She laughed.



" So.. anything interesting? " Lucas asked, resting his chin on Clover's shoulder, peeping over.

        " Nope, not gonna get anything right now but yeah, found a few interesting series.. and Gossip Girl is one of the tops on my list.. " She grinned as Lucas reached out for that box set and read the synopsis.

" Interesting... " He actually read the whole synopsis? Wow, that's not very common in a guy to read the back of a DVD set which is filled with chick flicks and a lot of drama. Another score for Clover when she questioned him regarding his opinion on chick flicks and to her surprise, he did not mind them and loved watching them. YAY! 


        " Alright, what shall we do now? Let's head out and figure something out.. " He said pulling her out of the shop.


" Umm.. well, lets head to the mall for lunch, how about that? I suggested it earlier but since there aren't any objections... haha.. lets go! " She said, smiling happily then walking to the car hand in hand. They playfully pushed each other off the lane and there was a large gap between the path and the car and Clover had to jump. Lucas challenged her to jump knowing that she's usually timid about these things but surprisingly, she spontaneously leaped forward and opened the door and entered. He blinked then got into the car and stared at her a few seconds before starting the engine. " What? " She stared right back at him.


        " Hahah nothing.. you actually jumped? I was hoping you'd fall..! Muahahah!! You short little girl.. " He teased, laughing as he reversed his car and drove to the mall. One hand on the wheel, the other blocking all her whacking and smacking. Yes, he was very used to her constant smacks. 


        Arriving at the mall, their initial plan was to head to the food court for a variety of food and at a very decent price before Clover decided to head over to a sushi restaurant for some Japanese food. Banzai! Lucas agreed and didn't mind it at all! Smiling and holding onto his arm tightly, she happily walked him to the restaurant.


" Irrasshai Masse!! " Said the waiters when entering.


        " Uhrm.. wha..? " Lucas scratched his cheek and looked at Clover, clueless.


        " Hahaha.. that means Welcome in Japanese sweetie.. hehe.. let's sit down!! I'm starving~ " Clover answered then placed herself comfortably on a chair and reached out for the menu to order. " I'll have the Piri Piri Chicken set.. and yes, this is super tasty dear! You should try it! " She said while her clueless boyfriend followed and ordered the same thing along with cold green tea for them.


" Okay.. so.. now we wait... " Lucas said, watching the sushi travel around the belt infront of them. 


" You're funny.. anyway, here, lets share this Tuna Mayo~ YUM!! " She grabbed a plate of Tuna in Sushi, opened the lid and reached for the chopsticks. Handing a pair to Lucas who tried breaking the chopsticks into a perfect half. " Hahah.. thats mine! " She grabbed the first pair and handed him another one. " You're the guy.. you break this one for yourself.. " She laughed when he missed it being a perfect half just by a centimeter! 


        " You're mean... picking on your boyfriend like this.. " He whined.


        " Oh shush you! Now try it..! " She shushed him then ate a piece of the sushi and left the other for him. She watched him slowly clipping the sushi rolls then dipping them into his tiny bowl of Shoyu and Natsume sauce then stuffing the whole thing into his mouth. " Hahah.. tasty no? " She laughed at his facial expression. It was just too tasty for him, besides the fact that he loves tuna.


        " Yeah..... tasty.. "


Twenty minutes went by and their meals arrived along with two special sushi plates which Clover quietly ordered to share with Lucas knowing that he loved both those dishes. Inari and Ebiko, one was sweet beancurd skin wrapped over the sushi and the other was prawn eggs in the sushi roll. He fell silent when those two plates arrived. He didn't expect her to order it. They weren't on the belt and all he did was browse through the menu and pointed out a few of his favourite dishes and she just ordered them! What more could a boyfriend get from his girlfriend? He felt lucky and at the same time slightly embarrassed. He had never been loved and pampered this much. She was spoiling him. He knew it, so did she but she loved it! And the best part was, she treated him to lunch which cost her $60! Shocking.


        After lunch, they walked around before relaxing on a bench leaning on each others shoulders and talking while resting their legs before resuming their walk. It was roughly 6.30pm when Clover had the urge to drag him to shop. She walked into a shop and asked Lucas to pick out a few T-Shirts for her since she was dire need of them and wants to renew her wardrobe before they move in together officially. Lucas on the other hand was not completely in the mood, or maybe he was just not used to any of these romantic moments? Nobody knows but himself.

             " Come one sweetie.. pick out a few tops for me! You're really good and this.. please? I want to wear something you like.. " Clover begged while Lucas lazily picked out a few. He didn't look very interested, it did make her feel a little down about it. All she wanted was to do a few memorable and romantic moments with him but he never really got the idea and was usually pretty dense about these things. She did notice that he was inspecting a lot of tops. Out of the blue, he picked out a few and handed it to her.

" These... hehe.. " He handed her two Baby-T's and continued walking around when he stumbled upon a few shorts. " Hmmmm.... can you wear these? " His eyes were sparkling.

" Well... I wouldn't mind them.. and besides.. I do have a few at home.. " She said, staring at the super short, shorts then faced him. " Hmm.. " She stared and he responded with a grin.

        Walking over to the counter to pay, she thought it would've cost her around $70 but Lucas read the discount rates wrong and it ended up being $50. She laughed. " Oops!! " He rubbed the back of his head then hugged her before walking out of the shop. It was around 8.25pm and the couple had to head to Hannah's house for a short visit since Clover had not met her for almost two years. On the way to the parking lot, Lucas had prayed that there wouldn't be any traffic for he had enough of driving around and this time, since he drives a stick, getting stuck in traffic would really test his patience and knowing himself, he really can't keep his cool over things like this. Driving out and to the highway, his eyes sparkled in happiness. Clover giggled knowing that he was super happy to not see any traffic and so they had a slow 40 minute drive to Hannah's house singing along to songs they knew and talking about random things. 

        Finally, they arrived and there was a slight awkward moment where Lucas felt a little out of place, since Clover is always dragging him out to hang with her friends but he never really had the chance to take her to meet his set of friends due to a slight language and education barrier. Clover really isn't the type to only think for herself, she would definitely be delighted to meet his friends but they're either from the group who usually stick to their own kind, or they don't really socialize with people who don't look good enough to fit their standards, and worst, not quite the perfect role model for a relationship. Other than that, she definitely wouldn't mind meeting any of his other friends. Somehow, she really does wish to meet some of them, although still skeptical and nervous.


Hannah was a real social butterfly and Clover, always being thoughtful will only bring Lucas out to meet people who would accept him for who he is and not judge him by how he presents himself and they'd usually accept and accommodate to him, immediately including him in their conversations which is why she is confident of who she introduces to him. Hannah went on and on joking about her encounters over the past year, her stressful moments at work and the best news was her new boyfriend whom was Swedish but living in California. Oh lucky girl! She got a right catch. About an hour plus went by, and the clock hit a little pass 10pm. Lucas pointed it out and Clover tried to rush through the conversation without making it too obvious that they were in a rush and out of courtesy since Hannah was the one who invited them over in the first place.

        Clover finally gave Hannah the hint and then walked into her room to select a few Korean and Chinese DVD box sets to borrow and watch when she needed some inspiration and rushing through them, Clover came out with a huge bag full of boxes. Lucas was silent, containing his impatience and a slightly irritated feeling then stepped out of the house along with Clover and Hannah when Clover's phone rang. It was Ricky. Clover handed it over to Lucas while Hannah gave directions out of her secluded living area. Ending the call, Lucas forced a smile and waved at Hannah while giving her a big hug and then got into the car. Lucas stepped onto his gears and ignored Clover for a moment before coldly asking her for directions.

" Turn where?! " He snapped.

Clover felt a slight jab through her chest at the fact that he'd raise his voice at her. She immediately gave him directions and said nothing more. There was a moment of silence and all she did was stare out the window looking at the view at night. Not far ahead was a toll and Lucas struggled to get cash. Clover wanted to help but she didn't dare move for she did not want to annoy him more when he's in such a bad mood. He frowned then snapped at her once again. " Do you mind giving me a freaking hand here!? " He raised his voice again. She quickly reached for the coin box and handed him the amount he needed then sat back in position, silently holding in her feelings. 

        " What's wrong? And yea.. i'm seriously super late! It's 10.45pm already thank you for making me late..!! And worst part is that i'm broke and i'm running freaking low on fuel!! DAMN! " He said, trying to lower his tone and speeding back to Clover's house.

" You know... I really don't mind lending you some cash.. to help you out dear.... " She mumbled in a soft tone.

" We'll see..... I just feel damn irritated and frustrated right now.. " He answered.

        Clover didn't know what to say, so she kept quiet. A few minutes went by and they finally arrived back at her home. He immediately parked his car and rushed her to open the gates. She scampered around and then helped him pack his clothes and laptop and handed it to him. Lucas tossed his bags at the backseat when Clover stood at the porch.

" I'm not going to kiss you in the spotlight... " She threw a joke, trying to change the mood.

Lucas smiled then ran over to her and held her, kissing her goodbye for he'd be gone for two days due to work and last minute preparations. He ran over to his car when Clover called him over again.

        " Aren't you forgetting something? You wouldn't wanna get stuck in the middle of a highway silly.. " She teased then walked over and handed him some cash, hiding the fact that she was low on cash herself and had to work the next day and pay for her transportation. 

Lucas didn't know her situation but felt really moved, thankful and at the same time lost for words but felt really grateful for having such a helpful and supportive girlfriend like Clover. He couldn't say anything but whipped up a really sweet smile then walked over pulling Clover in his arms, holding her tightly then burrying his face in her shoulder. " I love you.... so much... " He whispered. Clover hugged him back then kissed him on the cheek and got chased into her house before he zoomed off to meet his friends. 


11pm. Clover took her time in the shower then got online and waited for Lucas for hours. 


" DING!! " Came a beep on her instant messenger. It was Lucas.


        " Honey ~ ! I'm here! " Clover's face brightened reading his message. She had been waiting for four hours and he was finally home and online, using the internet at his bosses house. They stayed online for an hour plus before Lucas passed out infront of the laptop without saying " I love you ". Clover laughed at his silly attitude then went to bed at 6am after leaving a few messages for Lucas and woke up at 8am.


Taking a deep breath then a lazy yawn, she rushed to the computer only to see no messages left. She had also ran out of credit on her cellphone so she couldn't make any calls. She was hoping for a call from him but nothing. He's probably busy with work she guessed and then headed to the shower and prepared for her meeting. Lucky for Clover, her dad gave her $15 worth of credit into her cellphone and then dropped her at the nearby mall which saved her roughly $5.50 of transportation. She then took a cab to the mall at the next town that cost her $11.50. 


        Clover called her partner who was pretty much like a crazy elder brother John to be sure of the directions to the restaurant then walked toward it and to her surprise, it was also a bar. Entering, she greeted the rest of the members and sat down without buying any food or beverages. She really didn't want to waste her money and she also promised Lucas not to consume any form of alcohol as long as he wasn't with her. She sat there, discussed about many future plans, did a long introduction for eight whole hours. Starving herself and very dehydrated from all the talking. 

There wasn't any line where she was at and received a text message indicating a few missed calls from Lucas. She didn't want to worry him so she borrowed Zee's phone and called him. It was a really cold conversation. All he said was " Where are you? What're you doing and who are you with? " She explained only to get an " Mmhmm.. " and then having her call ended. Maybe he was busy? She thought and continued talking to the members. Another hour went by, and while John and Keith were out smoking, she and Zee bolted. She couldn't hold it any longer. She pushed John to pay the bills then to find a place to have a decent dinner.


Finally giving into his God sister's plea for food, he paid the bill then walked out only to end up not being sure of what to eat. They started to wander around and ended up in front of Carl's Jr. Still uncertain whether to eat at either McDonalds or Carl's Jr, they finally settled for their first option and then stood in front of the counter, deciding what to order. Thanks to Zee and Keith for accompanying her to a meal, while John was too bloated from all that drinking to consume anymore. Literally.


        They took a few pictures and laughed about and really enjoyed Keith's epic facial expression when he opened the box of chilli fries. It was huge and John offered to eat but gave up at the first piece due to his problem of not being able to eat spicy food. They discussed about future meetings, events and finally, Clover hit the jackpot. She's gonna host a party in November, so she will go all out for it and is really excited. Four of them will be the hosts and they planned on food and beverages, along with the budget until 9.35pm then left the area and headed toward the train station where Zee and Keith would take different platforms to head back home. Zee didn't like the idea of waiting for the train too long since she had to take another twinning train and then a bus before she would reach home, therefore tagged along with Clover and John. They bid their farewells to Keith then headed to the parking lot in between getting lost since John really is that bad in directions. Haha! John drove to another train station then dropped Zee off then headed to Clover's place while singing along in the car with her.


" Thanks alot bro... well, i'll see ya around and we'll plan the upcoming party alright? " She smiled then entered her house, waving goodbye and locking up. 


        It was pass 11pm, she was hoping to see Lucas online but to her disappointment, he wasn't. " He must probably still be at work, maybe i'll give him a call later.. " She thought then headed to the shower. Resuming her work on the computer after a long shower, she got an IM from her friend Ray who just woke up asking her out for a drink along with a couple of their friends Andy and Cherry. Due to exhaustion, she considered it but told Ray to hold that thought. She walked to her room to call Lucas.


" Yeah? What? " A cold answer. She greeted him warmly and asked how he was and what he was up to. " Nothing.. i'm still at work. Busy, angry, super tired, stressed and really frustrated.. meh.. " He was really rude on the phone and poor Clover had to put up with it. She felt how he felt so to not pressure him more with questions, she told him that she was going to hang out with Ray and the rest. " Yeah.. have fun. Its already late anyway, just go enjoy. I'll talk to you later. " He ended the call. Not even a " Bye " or a " I love you and miss you honey.. " Nothing. Clover is strong at heart. She just held it in then to pour out her stress and feelings of missing her boyfriend too much, she reluctantly agreed to hanging out with them.


        Ray came over fourty minutes later and drove to a hotel where Andy lived to meet the couple. They hung out at a nearby food stall and talked about life and many phases and options from politics to games. Sadly, Clover was just too bothered and deep in thought to pay that much attention to them and always stole a glance at her phone hoping for a text message or a phone call. She dearly missed him and wished so badly to hear his voice and have a decent chat with him.


" BEEP!! " Came a text message. It wasn't Lucas's ringtone. She read the message. It was Ken. He wanted to ask her out for a drink with his friends nearby her house but she was too far away from home. Feeling too lonely and really wanting to text someone, she just replied to him and decided to have a short chat which got Ken worried so he decided to keep her company until she got home. It was finally 3am, and she felt so miserable. 


        While driving her home, Ray talked to her about her upcoming party and it got her a little lively though still down at heart. She didn't want to worry anyone so she faked her smiles and talked about it with her cheerful self until she got home. Reaching home, she got a phone call from Lucas which she didn't realize she picked up and without surprise, he was still cold. She apologized for not realizing his call sooner. " Mmhmm.. right.. " Was all he said then told her to not be home late and hung up.


She ran upstairs and greeted him. Nothing but a simple " Hmm? ". There wasn't the usual " Honey ~ How are you? I missed you! And welcome back! " nor his usual hugging and kissing emotes. She got more worried and felt worse. The moment she had been waiting for was right in front of her yet she felt so distant from him. Trying to start a conversation, she greeted him happily and teased him playfully at how he greeted her. He didn't bother nor pay that much attention to her. That really triggered her emotions to the core. She couldn't hold it any longer. She needed to talk to someone, to let out how she felt and someone who would understand what she was talking about. She then IM-ed Case and while waiting for his response, she tried telling Lucas how she felt, how lonely she was and how empty she felt and his only response was a sigh and that he felt as though he was making life tougher for her. She denied it and told him how much he had brightened up her life. She really meant it but he still wasn't assured. Maybe because he felt guilty but didn't know how to express himself again? She shrugged at the thought.


        She tried to start another conversation by asking him what his plans were for the following day and all he said was he was going to send Amanda off to her campus and then probably head back home. She felt sad. He didn't even think of meeting her. The past two days were a complete failure. He had told her that he'd come pick her up but failed to do so twice and now, this is the third time. She just sighed and told him that she wished she could hold onto him but she knew he was really tired from a whole day of work. No response again. She really couldn't take it and told Case how she felt. 


Case was one of the few trusted friends that both Lucas and Clover felt comfortable with, and he'd usually fool around like a playful person who doesn't take anything seriously but when there's a friend in need, he'd be there to listen and help out as much as he could. He was a little speechless hearing all those pent up emotions being poured out by Clover. He felt sorry for her but at the same time, didn't know what the best advice was for her. He'd usually tell people upfront and be frank about it but he didn't feel like hurting her even more. Clover told him how she felt mistreated for the past few days and how lonely she was while breaking down in tears just typing those words out. 

        " What...!? .. Honestly, I don't really know what to make out of this, and no you're not useless or being too desperate. You're just too used to him and you love him too much. I'm not sure what to say, but as for how I feel, most guys would already notice the obvious hints and immediately respond to their girlfriends.. He's a little slow at it and you gotta give him some time I guess... " He paused as he watched Clover spam him with tons of texts in his IM. The milky pink fonts flooding his screen. He was lost for words.

" I don't know if the problem is with me.. or.. the relationship or.. I don't know.. really.. " She paused for a moment taking in a deep breath before resuming. " He didn't even greet me when I came home.. nothing. Never said a single romantic word and not even a welcome home when I messaged him, he just gave me a simple question mark and left me alone again. I tried telling him how I felt, how much I missed him and that i'd just love to hold onto him tightly, but he never gave me any words of comfort! Why? " She couldn't stop. Pouring everything out to Case was the only thing she could do since telling it to Lucas had no effect. Tears were pouring down her cheeks rapidly like a river, the poor girl was really torn apart.

        " ... He's just not into that kinda stuff I suppose.. you are probably giving him everything but he just doesn't know how to return those feelings .. There's nothing wrong with you. You'd be perfect for someone who'd really appreciate you and return those deeds with little hugs and kisses or cute words of fluff, so don't stress yourself too much. I know you love him, and I think he knows that damn well, just relax and see how things go alright? I'm here for ya! " 

Clover did feel that way, but what more could she do? She was just deeply in love with Lucas that no matter how hurt she was, she would never put the blame on him and just keep it to herself. Being her usual selfless and soft self, she usually would just keep all that pent up emotion and roll them into a huge ball then throw them away the next day in her sleep. She hated the feeling, so as an immediate counter attack, she'd just fake smiles and then cheer herself up. It has always been that way, she was just too patient and selfless.

        " I even walked into a shop.. and asked him to hand pick a few outfits that he liked just so I could wear them for him.. I try, I just try to make him love me more and I just want him to feel comfortable.. sometimes I feel like i'm an embarrassment to him, he tends to comment on what I wear and how I match my attire with my shoes.. Each time I hear it, I willingly accept those comments and try to change according to his taste.. I wonder at times if i'm trying too hard.. and now.. he just went offline without saying anything.. I even starved myself and didn't consume a single drop of alcohol while at the meeting because I promised him i'd never drink as long as he isn't around... and when I told him that, he didn't care.. " Clover sighed as she typed out those words.  

Could there really be a problem here? Or maybe i'm just thinking too much that i'm starting to get paranoid? Clover was positive that there was something wrong but she couldn't pin point what exactly was it.  


        Not being able to take the stress, she then said goodnight to Case and immediately went to bed, trying to forget everything after being mentally stressed. She couldn't sleep well either, crawling out of bed, she took his jacket and wrapped herself around it. Having his scent made her relaxed and she finally fell asleep until noon.  


Awake again, without Lucas by her side. What a way to wake up not being in the arms of the guy she loved so dearly. She tried taking it all in, almost failing but she managed. She put to mind that it was only temporary and she had to get used to it. Stretching, she then took to the washroom to wash up and then sat in front of the computer hoping for some messages which she wasn't putting high hopes on. Nothing. Not that it wasn't expected. Opening her word documents, she then resumed her report. An hour passed, she checked her messenger and he was online without a word said to her.


        Why didn't he greet me? He always greeted me the moment he saw me online. Was something really wrong here? All the negative thoughts came thundering through her mind. Shaking them off, she double clicked on his ID and greeted him.


Along came a slow reply after several minutes of waiting. He was busy. She didn't want to bother him and further and finished up her reports. Before she could have a decent chat with him, he said he had to go. Right, of course! He had to send Amanda back to campus and it was 5pm. He bolted without saying " I love you " once again. What's really going on? She got tired of thinking and went back to sleep until 8pm, when a knock came on her door. Yes, dinner time. Her maid called her. Walking down the stairs and having dinner alone, she couldn't help but worry as to why she was being ignored. Completely clueless, she quickly finished her dinner and skidded back up to check her cellphone. No messages.


        She was really restless and decided to text Lucas. It was 10.30pm and he replied. Whoops. She woke him up. Earlier during the day, after sending Amanda back, he had driven back home and not in the mood to meet up with her. He had told her that he'll probably meet her at night when he woke up. Clover waited, and finally receiving his reply only to read that he was not going over but decided to meet up with Kent and his friends once again. She really didn't want to stay home anymore so she sent Anthony a text, hoping for some good news.


" BEEP!! " An instant reply. He was available and had his car with him. He gave her a call and they agreed on hanging out. Clover jumped into the shower and got ready only to find out that 20 minutes later, seeing Anthony outside her house waiting. He really had a bad habit of arriving a little too early. She got fed up of texting Lucas from all his cold replies and lack of attention so she stopped after sending a last text informing him who she was going out with and where, then headed to McDonalds.

        " Are you alright? " Anthony questioned her, staring straight in her eye noticing that she kept spacing out and not paying that much attention to him. " What's up? " He pushed for an answer.

Giving in, she gave him a very brief explanation about how lonely and left out she was and how badly she wished she could be with her boyfriend. Anthony listened intently then paused for a moment compiling all the words together into a sentence before giving her his opinion.

        " Well.. you do know that you are pretty much his official girlfriend right? And what I mean by official would be his first real and serious relationship, literally.. and from a guy who was a former player who never took relationships seriously and only took girls as accessories, I think you gotta give him some credit for at least being loyal and not two-timing you... " Scratching his cheek, he tried to finish his sentence. " Uhrmm.. I'm not a master with words and relationships either.. look at me? I'm still single and am a huge disappointment to my family and I have to accept it and improve.. and as for Lucas.. remember once at his place, we watched a Chinese drama where the mother didn't approve of her son hooking up with the mute girl? We hated her character so much until the grandma spoke to his mum and to our shock, she wasn't a bad person right? So we need to try to understand both sides... so relax... I know it's really tough because he is really not used to your true and loving nature. That's just you being yourself, and he is still fresh to genuine relationships and would take a decent amount of time before he can truly appreciate your feelings and return them full heartedly.. "


Clover was a little surprised. She never expected Anthony to understand her and voice out his opinion which was how she felt about Lucas and one of the main reasons why she was so patient with him and never left him no matter how much he tended to ignore her, say the wrong words and do the wrong actions at times. She was relieved.

        Finishing up their burgers, they decided to take a walk around the area to lose some calories while Anthony desperately needed a puff to release some stress. Clover was a little relaxed knowing that at least there were people who understood her for being who she was and feeling how she felt instead of completely going against her. 


" Guess we should head back eh? Since your parents would freak out if you weren't back anytime soon.. and yeah, thanks for listening and coming out tonight. And yes, I know how Lucas feels.. he's just uncertain and not sure what to do.. and I know he will try, at least one thing.. I know he wont cheat on me even though he's out, and hopefully... one day.. I pray.. he'll really love me full heartedly and know how to treat me with a lot of love and care.. hehe.. " Clover smiled before entering the car. Anthony laughed then started the engine and drove her back.


        It was past 2am and Clover got back home before Lucas. Logging onto her account on Facebook, she started commenting on a few recent pictures of her meeting that she was tagged then logged onto her messenger and IM-ed Case and another two of her best friends Dillan and Tay. Dillan was her younger God brother while Tay whom is her best friend who had always supported her since she first started her groups and had been by her side and best friend for almost 7 years. An hour went by and she couldn't stop herself from thinking about Lucas and gave into her urge to text him so badly.


Sighing after clicking on the little green button on her cellphone, she continued chatting with Dillan, Tay and Case not expecting any immediate replies when there came a familiar ringtone. Wait a minute! He actually replied in almost an instant? She was surprised. Feeling as though her early Monday morning was going to be a good one, she read his message.


        He was still out. This time he was accompanying Aaron and one of his friends, Nate. Kent had already gone back and he decided to relax for a moment before going home. They sent immediate replies for about an hour before Lucas headed back, and continued half an hour later after he arrived home.


Clover couldn't hold it any longer and told him how much she missed him and how she wished she could already be there with him and how she truly felt about their current situation that had been going on non-stop for the past few days. Not long after that, he eventually replied.


" Honey... cheer up.... and I really miss you too... so badly that I don't even know how to describe it... "


Was she reading this right? He called her honey after 3 days of feeling neglected. Her Monday couldn't have gotten better. Smiling she replied telling him that she missed him too and asked him what he thought about their current situation and how things were the past few days.


" BEEP!! " Another immediate reply. Yes! She had a little of his attention now.


        " ... To tell you the truth.. I actually felt really calm and relaxed these past few days when we weren't together... but I have to admit.. the feeling of missing you so deeply was aggravating.. I had to keep myself busy to not miss you too much... and I did not ignore you at all dear... really, i would never, ever ignore you!! The reason why I didn't respond to most of your messages was because I didn't know what to do or say.. and I really didn't want to hurt you and make you any more sad than you already were.. and I thought.. the best thing was to leave you alone to calm down.. and then talk to you when you felt much better. "


Reading his reply made her completely relieved. At least enough to not feel hurt or upset. " Why didn't you tell me in the beginning? .. Please don't think that the best way to solve a problem would be to leave me alone to calm down.. that only made me feel worse.. and I honestly felt so tortured.. and neglected that I thought we were going to break up and that something was really wrong with our relationship... "  

        " I would never break up over something like this.. and definitely not with you.. and I admit one thing.. these few days of not being with you, I realized that my love for you was really growing.. so strong that at times I couldn't concentrate when I thought about it and I may have said I felt calm and relaxed when we weren't together but I felt like a huge part of me was missing.. and that really proved how much you meant to me... I love you dear... "


Jackpot. She finally heard the words she had been wanting to hear so badly. A reason. That was all she wanted in order to not feel too restless. She was at ease. Smiling with happy tears, she told him that his messages had made her day and she was looking forward till the day she could meet him again when he was available and not too busy.


        " How about we meet tomorrow? .. Honey.. I promise.. I will give you loads of hugs, kisses and a ton of attention.. all for you when we meet okay? I love you... "


Lucas was a real sweetheart. Maybe he just wasn't very familiar with the term 'Express Yourself' so he didn't do anything but keep quiet. One thing Clover really cherished about him was his honesty when he really expresses himself. Whether or not it was something hurtful or good, he would say it out and not hide anything. And he really knows how to keep someone safe. No matter where you were, as long as he is around, he would protect and take care of you as long as you mean a lot to him.


" You know... you really do know how to make a girl smile... hehe.. I'll hold you to that and i'm looking forward to meeting you again tomorrow.. I love you dear.. " 


They made up. Clover is such a simple person, she'd cheer up over a text message. All Lucas had to do was pay some attention to her, be honest and keep her company and her mood would completely revert back to a bright and sunny aura no matter how many days she was hurt. It would all be washed away, as long as she had a little bit of love given to her. Maybe that was the reason why they could stay together even though being complete opposites in personality excluding having other tastes in common.


Funny how love can really be a double edged sword. Its either you use it to help you, or end up making a wrong move and injuring yourself. Love also isn't about time and how long you have been together. They're nothing but digits but if you keep hurting each other and repeating the same things over and over again without trying to talk things over and resolving it, there really isn't a point to it. 


        Finally relieved, they both decided to lay in bed texting each other before wishing goodnight.


        " I love you honey.... my dear future wife.. goodnight and I miss you loads! " 


Smiling, she replied " I love you too.. sweet dreams and have a good rest.. i'll see you tomorrow dear.. Goodnight. "


Message sent. At ease, she took his jacket, hugged it and then went to bed peacefully, smiling.


End of Epilogue.

Epilogue Part 1 - Stinging Heart

One week earlier...
 

      It has been almost four months since both Lucas and Clover have been together and words could not explain how deep they both have fallen for each other and how their relationship had developed. It's the 22nd, the couple decided to head over to a nearby mall where Clover lives for dinner.

" Sweetie.. what do you have in mind? I mean.. since we're heading to the mall, what would you like to eat? Don't tell me you wanna munch on your Taiwanese fried chicken again? " Clover asked, leaning over to Lucas shoulder and then kissing him on the cheek. Lucas paused in thought then grinned at her as he changed his gear and drove up the ramp and into the malls parking lot. 

" Well.. you know how much I love that Taiwanese fried chicken.. " He paused for a moment once more " Right..? " He finished, sticking his tongue out, giggling.

" Alright, alright.. anything for you dear... " Clover sighed then unfastened her seat belt. Staring at her boyfriend's innocent face; and that grin just can't make her say no to anything. All she can do is agree and walk out of the car, crossing over heading toward the door and to the escalator.

" What? I can't have something I love, honey? " He questioned her, once again with that grin. She stared at him then sighed. 

" Hahahah..!! You're so cute when you're angry like this! " He teased then grabbed Clover, cuddling her.

        Walking pass several shops, Clover pointed out toward a few tops that she found interesting and worth looking at while waiting for Lucas to comment. He nodded and raised a brow. " Checkmate!! " She thought to herself excitedly, smiling and getting excited with her clueless boyfriend in her arms while walking to the shop.

" What's with that smile? " He stared at her waiting for an answer only to receive a smile and an extremely ridiculous grin as an answer. He shrugged then walked ahead of her.

" HEY! Slow down!! " She called, chasing after him only to be beaten to the shop and then ignored over food. Laughing at the silly actions done, she treated him to his chicken and then walked around looking at more shops while bickering and commenting on fashion and the strangers passing by. 

        Yet another typical day she thought to herself then took a quick glance at Lucas who had his eyes on the new Manchester United jerseys. " Three constant hours of walking only to enter that shop? " Letting a slight sigh, she hastened her pace and entered the shop. 

" I was thinking.. if we made these jerseys as our couple T-Shirts.. would you mind it one bit? " 

Staring at those big eyes, how could she have said no to that? She smiled " Of course! " Agreeing without a single doubt in her decision. She loved him too much to disagree to something as new as getting a pair of jerseys from a football league that her boyfriend worships. It would be much more special since it's for a guy and a girl and for a special reason. How romantic. Smiling to herself and pondering at the thought of walking into a bar or cafe wearing those jerseys and accompanying him to watch a match would be an unforgettable experience and pretty much a first for her. She couldn't wait. 


" Cool!! " His eyes gleamed in excitement, and it really looked as though there were hearts floating above his head over the fact that his girlfriend had unexpectedly agreed to owning a jersey and taking it as a Couple Item. " When I save up, i'll get us these okay, honey? " Taking her hand and then bringing her to Toys 'R' Us.


" Yeah... hehe.. alright dear! What're we doing in here again? " Without an answer, she got dragged to a plushie section. " Oh my God!! " She squeaked in excitement. If it's not clothes or shoes, it would definitely be cute stuffed animals with very soft material. What else could a girl not spazz over?


" You wanted to check the price of this weird red cat right? " Lucas asked, grabbing a huge red cat and checking the price. $98.90. Talk about expensive for something locally made. Taking a quick stretch, he reached over and took out a soft colourful hammer. Clover nodded and then stared at him. He playfully smacked her with it and ran off, only to be chased by his girlfriend before taking an immediate stop when his brown eyes caught a glimpse of a whole two shelves filled with different graded Gundam models. " Holy SH--!! " The kid in him finally came out while he reached out from box to box, inspecting each model. Clover laughed at the sight while looking around before getting glued to an episode of Gundam 00.


        They spent about an hour looking at the models and then another half an hour at other merchandises before exiting the shop and then taking a slow walk around before having dinner at Burger King. Staring at the menu, Clover ordered a Mushroom Swiss Double only to be bonked on the head by Lucas who wanted the same thing. " Do we always have to order the same thing all the time? " He scoffed playfully then paid the cashier.


" Well, that's why we're a couple no? " Clover teased before heading to their table. Lucas rolled his eyed nodding.


" Yeah.. yeah.. " He grumbled while grabbing the straws as he sat down and started eating.

        After dinner, Lucas dashed to the ATM machine to withdraw money, excited that he'll be able to go out and about and drink with his friends. Clover waited, sitting on the wooden bench outsite Burger King and dozed into her thoughts about their relationship and life. She's sacrificed so much for him and given him so much without expecting any in return, even when the following day was a really special day which she already knew, he had forgotten due to his excitement and urge to hang with friends and get drunk. Sighing at the thought of having the following day spent alone, she turned to her left and smiled as he returned with a cheerful smile. Returning the smile, she got up and held his hands throwing that sad thought behind her and forcing a smile.


        As long as he is happy, she will do anything to keep that smile on his face even if she may disagree on it. " Well, i'll be hanging with Kent so i'll send you home now alright? " He kissed her forehead then paid the parking ticket fees, whistling. 


" Yeah.. sure dear.. "


        He never noticed her facial expression and tone all the way until they reached her home. Parking his car and entering her house only to get lazy and stopping at the porch, he asked her to pack his laptop. Nodding, Clover silently packed them and then handed the bag over and gave him a goodbye hug as he drove off. " ... The things I do for him.. sometimes I wonder if he realizes that I am completely a different girl.. not perfect, nothing special bout my face or figure but my love is genuine.. " She paused only to realize a tear forming. Quickly wiping it and then locking the doors, she plopped herself on the leather couch and went into deep thoughts. " .. Maybe he's just making this outing as an excuse cuz he wants to surprise me with something tomorrow.. " She muttered to herself trying to cheer up before dozing off.


        Waking up an hour later, she dragged herself up the stairs and lazily threw herself in the shower to freshen up then sat infront of the computer to Facebook and work. Minutes went by and no phone call. She kept staring at the clock, and finally, five hours later, within her little dozes, at three in the morning came that special ringtone set especially for him. She picked up only to hear a drunk voice over the other line. Sighing, she told him to rest and that she'll see him the next day then ended the call. " .... oh well.. " She muttered then got depressed at the thought that her first initial surprise was left in his cellphone which she prepared for three days which he had literally smashed against the wall earlier during the day due to his irresponsible father not banking in his cash in time. Getting frustrated after an extra three hours surfing and doing some research regarding the economy, she pushed herself to sleep and finally dozed off cuddling his white jacket which she borrowed just to catch his scent to put her to sleep. 


        Waking up the next day at 3pm, Clover lazily gave out a loud yawn and reached out for her cellphone hoping to get at least a missed call from Lucas. Nothing. She called him instead and he greeted her wide awake only to find out that he was out with his friends at a mall. She just smiled and told him to have fun then jumped into the shower to freshen up. At 5pm, she got so restless and panicked due to not having a gift for him that she called her best friend Celine to accompany her to the mall and for a hang out. She agreed! Having half an hour to get ready, she then met up with Celine and hung at the mall for two hours and shopping for the tops that Lucas liked the day before and then getting him a short sleeved gray-striped body fitting top as a gift, the duo then drove back home happily after buying gifts for their boyfriends. It finally hit 7pm and still, no phone call. It has been four hours. Pacing the floor and getting saddened at the thought that he had forgotten their Fourth month together and that there wasn't going to be a surprise, she just sighed and sat on the couch for hours waiting for his call and doing nothing but stare at her phone continuously hoping for his name to appear on the Incoming Call list. Nothing.


He had forgotten.. she was positive.


        Moments later, her phone rang and they were music to her ears! Could it be him? She thought, crossing her fingers. Looking at the Incoming Call, the number wasn't registered but she picked up anyway. It was one of her band members, Michelle. " Wha..? Michelle? Why are you calling? What's up? " She questioned.


" Heya! Errr... Lucas called me and he has forgotten your number.. and wants you to call him back... ahahah.. " Michelle gave out a nervous grin after delivering the message knowing that Clover was a little irritated with the results. Saying a few words of comfort, she then hung up hoping that Clover wouldn't get so pissed.


        Clover dialed his number and he picked up saying he had arrived. " 10pm... is there anything we can do at this particular hour...??? " She grumbled then sighed while opening the gate for Lucas only to see his silly grin then walking in without a hug and then throwing himself onto the couch with his laptop on the table. He was still drunk. Locking the door, she walked over and held him tightly, hoping for something. Nothing. Her heart ached so badly but she held it so well that it seemed as though she was in a very cheerful mood. " Hey sweetie.. how was your day..? " She smiled leaning on his lap.


" Nothing much... I slept... late.. at 7am.. then Mark woke me up at 10am and dragged me out for breakfast.. I came back then got dragged out again by Mark and his wife for lunch and had to do groceries for them... and I chilled at Carrefour with Anna and finally.. finished everything at 7pm then went out for dinner with Mark and his wife once again at the Street Markets and well.. here I am now... haha.. " He briefly explained his day while turning on his laptop to play Football Manager 2008.


        She stared at him, just a little bit of hope in her that he was only pretending or was too tired but had a little surprise for her. An hour passed and it was 11.30pm and she was sure he had forgotten. Letting out yet another sigh, she ran upstairs and brought down a bag with his present in it then hid it behind her and leaned on his back then playfully tossed the shirt on him. No response. He was just too focused on his game. " ....... " Disappointed, she put it down on his right and continued watching him game when he turned around.


" Oh hey.. what's this? " He blinked, trying to be surprised.


" It's a shirt... since you've forgotten what day it is today... but yea... here.. this is for you dear... " She said handing him the shirt.


" ..... it has two front pockets... i don't really like shirts like these.. and isn't it too body fitting...? " He questioned her gift.


" It's fine, looks pretty nice on you anyway.... you look good in anything dear.. " Again, she said a sentence to compliment him but to cheer herself up. A little disappointed, she just held him to rid the hurtful words she just heard and kissed him on the cheek. " Well.. happy fourth month sweetie... i love you.. " She whispered in his ear then kissed him on the lips.


" .. I love you too... " He said, holding onto her and returning the kiss. " ... thanks for the uhh.. shirt you gave me.. funny.. I gave you a top last month and today, you give me one eh..? " Laughing, he put the shirt aside then continued his game.


" Well... I prepared a gift for you in your cellphone but you kinda destroyed it.. so.. i just had to get you something else... and you forgot our Special Day.. so it's nothing big.. but yea.. your welcome dear... " She muttered forcing a smile then leaning on his shoulder,  watching him continue.


Is this the right thing to do? Why do I feel such terrible heartache? ... So many questions were running through her mind before she shed a few tears without realizing. Wiping them off and covering her face, she then lay on his lap and stared at the ceiling thinking about their relationship, many unanswered thoughts and feelings...


What could it be..? 


It really hurts to love someone.. doesn't it?



To Be Continued......